Interest-only repayments
Once the agreed interest-only period ends, you'll start repaying your principal at the current interest rate at that time. As you're not making payments on the 'principal', this will remain the same, unless you choose to make additional repayments.
You'll pay interest on a monthly basis during the mortgage term, which might be as short as a few years or more than 20 years. Once your mortgage term is over, you'll still owe the lender the same amount you initially borrowed – so you'll need to either pay it back or remortgage your home.
Cons of interest-only loans
Higher interest rates: Interest-only loans typically come with higher interest rates compared to fully amortizing mortgages. Lenders consider these loans riskier due to the lack of principal reduction during the interest-only period.
Important things to consider
There are limits to how long you can have interest only periods – the maximum interest only period at any one time is five years for owner occupiers and 10 years for investors (credit criteria applies). Interest only is not available in the last five years of your loan.
Options include paying a lump sum, selling the property, remortgaging, or arranging extended repayment with the lender. Planning is crucial to avoid financial challenges and potential property repossession.
If you're interested in keeping your month-to-month housing costs low, an interest-only loan may be a good option. Common candidates for an interest-only mortgage are people who aren't looking to own a home for the long-term — they may be frequent movers or are purchasing the home as a short-term investment.
Interest-only mortgages offer attractive benefits, such as lower monthly payments and increased cash flow for investments. However, they also come with significant risks, including the need for a large lump-sum payment at the end of the term and limited availability.
Can you pay extra off an interest-only mortgage? If you're thinking about how to pay off an interest-only mortgage, it's worth noting that many interest-only mortgages allow you to make overpayments on your loan. This can be done as a lump sum or through increased monthly instalments.
What Happens at the End of the Interest-Only Period? At the end of the interest-only period, borrowers must start making regular principal and interest payments. The loan terms typically specify the transition, which may include higher monthly payments.
After the interest-only period, you have the option to refinance, pay a lump sum, or begin paying down the principal. However, it's important to note that your monthly payments will increase significantly once you start paying both the principal and the interest.
Like other types of lifetime mortgage, an interest-only lifetime mortgage is a way to release equity from your home to spend as you wish. And you need to meet many of the same requirements, like being at least 55.
It is possible to ask lender to extend your term to give you longer to save for the lump sum. This could give you the chance to switch at least some or all of the loan to a repayment mortgage, as by extending the term, your monthly repayments will be lower and more affordable.
Interest-only mortgages can seem more affordable, but they tend to cost more overall; you'll also need to find a way to pay off the loan at the end of the term. Repayment mortgages cost more per month but less over the loan's lifetime - and will pay off your mortgage in full.
Here's what you have to keep in mind about interest-only mortgage loans. Once the interest-only period ends, your monthly payment goes up to account for the amount that you're now expected to pay toward the principal. Lenders want to make sure that buyers can handle the higher payment when the time comes.
A typical interest only mortgage lasts between five and 25 years. It's possible to remortgage to a new deal at any time, which is often a good idea if interest rates have changed. You can also remortgage at the end of the deal – but you will need to meet affordability criteria.
Disadvantages of an Interest-Only Mortgage
Interest-only mortgages are high risk - get it wrong and you can be stuck with an expensive loan that costs more than you get in return. If circumstances change before the term expires and these affect your ability to re-mortgage, things can get messy.
You may have to pay a certain percentage as a fee for the unused funds if you haven't used the funds for at least 6 months. You'll be pay a higher interest rate for the idle funds. Your ability to borrow additional funds in the future could be difficult depending on how much extra you borrowed for the home loan.
Interest-only repayments are available for a set period over the life of the loan. Up to 5 years on an Owner-occupied loan and 10 years on an Investment loan. Principal and interest repayments following an interest-only period will be higher than if you'd been paying both the principal and interest from the start.
An interest-only mortgage allows borrowers to reduce their repayments in time of need or may enable property investors, to claim tax benefits*, as the total interest repayment may be tax-deductible.
Can I get an interest only mortgage? Interest only mortgages are available for home buyers, although they're not as common as repayment mortgages. To get one, you'll need a plan in place to repay what you owe when the mortgage ends. As with any other mortgage, whether you're approved is at the lender's discretion.
If you have an interest-only mortgage, you need to make plans to repay the capital (the amount you borrowed). If you don't, you will have a large amount to pay at the end of your mortgage term and may need to sell your home to repay it.
Yes; offset accounts can be linked to interest only loans. By keeping funds in an offset account, you can benefit from reduced interest expenses while enjoying lower monthly repayments during the interest only period.
Many mortgage lenders will allow you to overpay up to 10% of your mortgage balance each year without penalty, so if you have savings available, you may want to use some of them to pay back your mortgage capital. Switch your interest-only mortgage to a part repayment and part interest-only mortgage.